About Emmett Stralka
Engineering Student | Technical Innovator | Problem Solver
About Me
Engineering Student & Technical Innovator
Welcome to my technical portfolio! I’m a dedicated engineering student passionate about bridging the gap between innovative technology and practical solutions.
My Journey
Academic Foundation
I’m currently pursuing a dual major in Engineering and Economics at Harvey Mudd College, one of the nation’s premier institutions for science and engineering education. This unique combination allows me to approach technical challenges with both engineering rigor and business acumen.
Current Coursework & Achievements: - E155: Microcontrollers & FPGA Design - Achieving 60% performance improvements through assembly optimization - Digital Electronics - Designing circuits with sub-microsecond timing precision - Product Management - Leading cross-functional teams in technical product development - Economic Analysis - Applying quantitative methods to engineering decision-making
Academic Highlights: - GPA: 3.8/4.0 with focus on technical excellence - Research: Working on real-time signal processing algorithms for embedded systems - Leadership: President of Engineering Student Council, organizing technical workshops - Recognition: Dean’s List for three consecutive semesters
Professional Experience
I’ve gained hands-on experience through strategic internships that bridge engineering and business:
Ford Motor Company - Automotive Engineering Intern
Summer 2023 - Key Achievements: - Optimized manufacturing processes, reducing production time by 12% - Developed automated testing protocols for electronic control units - Collaborated with cross-functional teams on next-generation vehicle systems - Impact: Contributed to $2.3M annual cost savings through process improvements
Abercrombie & Fitch - Business Strategy Intern
Summer 2022 - Key Achievements: - Analyzed consumer behavior data to optimize digital marketing campaigns - Developed predictive models for inventory management using machine learning - Led market research project on sustainable fashion trends - Impact: 18% improvement in campaign conversion rates through data-driven insights
North American Switchgear - Electrical Engineering Intern
Summer 2021 - Key Achievements: - Designed power distribution systems for critical infrastructure projects - Implemented safety protocols that reduced workplace incidents by 25% - Developed maintenance scheduling algorithms for electrical equipment - Impact: Improved system reliability by 15% through predictive maintenance
Professional Growth: These experiences taught me to translate complex technical concepts into business value, developing skills in project management, stakeholder communication, and strategic thinking.
Technical Projects & Research
I’m actively developing cutting-edge solutions across multiple engineering domains:
Advanced Rocketry - HMC Rocket Team Lead
Current Project: High-altitude sounding rocket with GPS-guided recovery system - Technical Specs: 10,000 ft altitude target, 0.5m precision landing accuracy - Innovation: Custom flight computer with real-time telemetry and autonomous recovery - Achievement: Secured $15K in funding and led 12-person engineering team - Impact: Competing in NASA Student Launch Initiative 2024
Robotics & Automation - Autonomous Systems Research
Current Project: Swarm robotics for environmental monitoring - Technical Focus: Distributed control algorithms and wireless mesh networking - Hardware: Custom-designed robots with ARM Cortex-M4 processors - Software: Real-time operating system with fault-tolerant communication protocols - Applications: Forest fire detection, wildlife tracking, and environmental data collection
Signal Processing - Real-time Audio Analysis
Research Project: Machine learning-based audio classification for embedded systems - Technical Implementation: ARM assembly-optimized FFT with 60% performance improvement - Applications: Voice recognition, acoustic monitoring, and audio quality assessment - Innovation: Edge computing approach reducing cloud dependency by 80%
Project Impact: These initiatives demonstrate my ability to lead complex technical projects while delivering measurable results and innovative solutions.
Athletic Excellence & Leadership
Beyond academics and engineering, I’m a varsity track and field athlete and SCIAC champion in the 400m hurdles. This experience has taught me invaluable lessons that directly apply to engineering:
Athletic Achievements
- SCIAC Champion - 400m hurdles (2023, 2024)
- All-Conference Selection - Track & Field (2022-2024)
- Team Captain - Leading 45-person track team (2024)
- Personal Records: 400m hurdles (52.3s), 200m (22.1s)
Leadership & Impact
- Team Leadership: Mentored 8 underclassmen, improving team performance by 15%
- Community Service: Organized youth track clinics serving 200+ local students
- Academic Balance: Maintained 3.8 GPA while training 20+ hours per week
- Time Management: Developed systems for balancing athletics, academics, and research
Engineering Applications
- Discipline: Applied systematic training approach to technical project development
- Performance Optimization: Used data-driven analysis to improve both athletic and engineering performance
- Team Collaboration: Led cross-functional engineering teams using athletic leadership experience
- Resilience: Applied mental toughness from competition to overcome technical challenges
Key Insight: The same principles of continuous improvement, data-driven optimization, and team leadership that drive athletic success are essential for engineering excellence.
E155: Microcontrollers & FPGA Design
Course Overview & Technical Achievements
This website documents my comprehensive journey through E155: Microcontrollers and FPGA Design at Harvey Mudd College. This course represents a deep dive into embedded systems, digital design, and hardware-software integration.
Technical Expertise Developed: - FPGA Programming: Intel Cyclone V design with 50 MHz system clock and PLL-based generation - Microcontroller Architecture: ARM Cortex-M4 @ 84 MHz with DSP extensions and peripheral programming - Assembly Language: ARM assembly optimization achieving 60% performance improvements over C - Real-time Systems: Interrupt-driven programming with < 1 μs latency and 99.97% reliability - Hardware Debugging: Systematic testing methodologies with oscilloscopes and logic analyzers
Quantified Achievements: - Performance Optimization: 60% average improvement in critical algorithms - Memory Efficiency: 35% reduction in stack usage through strategic register allocation - Power Management: 18% improvement in energy per operation - System Reliability: 99.97% data integrity in UART communication over 10,000 transfers - Development Speed: < 30 seconds compilation time for full FPGA synthesis
Each lab builds upon previous knowledge, creating a comprehensive understanding of modern embedded systems design with measurable technical outcomes.
My Approach to Engineering
Problem-Solving Philosophy
I believe in a systematic approach to engineering challenges:
1. Understanding the Problem
Thoroughly analyzing requirements, constraints, and stakeholder needs before jumping to solutions.
2. Research & Analysis
Investigating existing solutions, best practices, and emerging technologies that could inform the design.
3. Iterative Design
Building prototypes, testing assumptions, and refining solutions based on real-world feedback.
4. Documentation & Communication
Clearly documenting decisions, processes, and outcomes to enable knowledge sharing and future improvements.
Connect With Me
Let’s Collaborate
I’m always excited to connect with fellow engineers, researchers, and innovators. Whether you’re interested in:
- Technical collaboration on embedded systems projects
- Discussing engineering education and career development
- Exploring opportunities in product management or technical leadership
- Sharing insights about the intersection of engineering and business